After his Degree, scarcely anything offered itself as an object of university enterprise to him, except the public university prizesone for English prose, one for Latin, and one for English verse. He wrote for the first on the subject of "Common Sense," and won the prize by an essay which no man can read at this day without much advantage. He was himself, in after-life, in a way, the "Prophet of Common Sense;" and he had already enough of it to be a good instructor of older men. The day on which he read his essay in the Oxford Theatre was the same on which Heber, as a prizeman, read his Palestine. The biographer, referring to the coincidence, says :

"There is something affecting in the picture of these two young aspirants, thus brought together in the morning of life, who were afterwards called to bear the heat and burden of the day in the same fardistant land: something also in the scrolls they held characteristic of the men; the one throwing over India the charm of poetry, piety, and a loving spirit; the other stamping upon it the impress of scriptural supremacy and evangelical truth something of adaptation also in the Divine ordering of those consecrated spots where they rest in their graves'— the chancel of St. John's, Trichinopoly, and the chancel of St. Paul's, Calcutta." (p. 69.)

Thus ended Daniel Wilson's undergraduate life. He became an A.M., Oct. 10, 1804, and was always an attached son of Alma Mater.

We pass to another scene. Chobham, a village in Surrey, was under the spiritual charge of that remarkable man, Richard Cecil. We use the word "remarkable" advisedly; because few ministers of religion have exercised a larger influence by their ministry when living, and now that he is dead, by his writings, and especially by that volume of them called his "Remains." Remains such as these are the true relics of the Protestant church, and ought to be watched over at least as jealously as the doubtful bones of some doubtful saint by an infatuated Romanist. Few can form a just conception, without having listened to it, of the power of his ministry and conversation. Apothegmatic, vivid, original, droll when he might be, and solemn to an unusual extent when he ought-many who heard him find it impossible to lose altogether the impression made on them. It was to the curacy of Chobham that Mr. Wilson's attention was now called; and after a time, he was ordained to his first charge of souls in that parish. Heartily do we wish it were in our power to extract largely from this portion of the volumes. The chief pastor and his curate are both noble specimens of a modern Gamaliel and Paul. The vicar gives many counsels, and the curate drinks deeply into the stream of wisdom and holiness. No young minister ought willingly to neglect this part of the volumes before us. We give a single extract from his journal at this time :

"I am now numbered amongst the dressers of God's vineyard. I entered into holy orders on the 20th September, by the imposition of hands of the Bishop of Winchester. Whilst Mr. Cecil is absent I shall have two sermons to preach weekly, one at Chobham, and one at Bisley. All difficulties having been overcome by the help of God, I am now happily discharging my sacred functions. What I had prepared, being committed to memory, I was enabled to deliver freely. Nor have I to complain of any unkind reception; on the contrary, I have to acknowledge with gratitude to God that it was far beyond my expectations.

66

."

'In my first sermon I treated of the willingness of Christ to receive sinners coming unto him,- Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.' John vi. 37. In the second, I endeavoured to explain the peace which Christ gave to His disciples, Peace I leave with you.' John xiv. 27.

“Grant, Almighty God, that those things which by Thy grace have happily begun, may by Thy power be brought to a good result." (p. 78.)

And his ministerial life was the genuine fruit of such views. Mr. Cecil paid frequent visits to the parish, and they were full of interest and refreshment to his young curate. But before settling down finally to the ministerial office, he was called to act in another sphere; viz., as a Tutor in his own college.

The last entry in his journal before quitting Chobham is characteristic of the man :

"Let me rather turn to thee, O Lord Jesus! whom I have rejected, and whose blood I have trodden underfoot. Be to me light, salvation, hope, all in all. Touch my hard heart; soften, renew, fill it with thy grace. Rule, direct, control me by Thy Holy Spirit. Grant that I may earnestly flee from sin, that I may truly repent, that I may be always on the watch, that I may walk in the ways of holiness, that I may abhor the lusts of the flesh, and never sanction them in thought or will! Grant that I may be indeed dead unto sin, and alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (p. 91.)

He arrived in London, and was there married, in November, 1803, to his cousin, Ann Wilson. In Nov. 1805, his eldest son Daniel, the present vigorous vicar of Islington, was born; in Sept., 1807, his second son John. In June, 1809, his daughter Amelia. These three were born in Oxford; then three others in LondonAnna, Eliza, William. We have soon-as sorrow is almost sure, in this valley of tears, to follow close on the heels of joy—to read the record of several severe family trials.

The editor, for convenience, here anticipates some of the future stages of the narrative; and gives us several letters of counsel to his eldest son at college; and an afflictive narrative of the life and death of another son. The "family life" of Daniel Wilson was sufficiently chequered to make him feel, that though this world

was to be for a time his field of duty, it was not to be his place of rest. His connection with Oxford lasted through eight years and a half; six years as assistant-tutor, the rest as vice-principal and sole tutor of his college. On his labours of love and usefulness in the University we have no space to dwell; but they were such as might be expected from such a man. "The hall increased in numbers, and rose in reputation without losing its distinctive character for picty." No doubt his own studies for his pupils were great means of improvement to himself. John Wesley is reported to have said, that he owed his influence over the multitude of his ardent followers to the fact, that "he understood logic and they did not ;" and that he owed his proficiency in logic, to having given lectures on that subject for some years during his residence in the University. Daniel Wilson also, the future wise interpreter of the sacred volume, may have learned his art partly in his own lecture-room at St. Edmund's hall. A little of that taste for discipline, and what may be called martinism, which characterized his later days, now and then discover themselves when thus first seated in the chair of authority at Oxford. He could have drilled a regiment as well as he regulated a class. Many interesting records are preserved, in his journals and letters, of his watchfulness over his own spiritual health at this moment of extreme pressure. He often goes to Worton, and there ministers; and also takes some duty nearer the university.

In 1809 another change occurs in his history, and he accepts the offer of curate to Mr. Cecil at St. John's chapel, Bedfordrow,-long the centre of light and joy to thousands, now presenting only a melancholy memorial of the rapid transitions in this world of shadows. Mr. Wilson first accepted the offer of St. John's only in part, and agreed to spend his college vacations there; but wished to continue his tutorship. This double arrangement soon, as was likely, came to an end, and he launched forward exclusively into the wide and glorious sea of ministerial labours and trials.

The 8th chapter of Vol. I. brings us to the subject which Mr. Bateman designates as the "Literary life" of Daniel Wilson.

"He was always," says his biographer, "a student." He read every thing he could lay hands on which might assist him in the great objects of his ministry; but had little taste for works of imagination-except indeed that we find him busy with the Latin classics to the very last days of his earthly existence.

His Prize Essay at Oxford, to which we have referred, on "Common Sense," was his first labour in the fields of literature. His sermons while a tutor at Oxford, preached in some instances before the University, produced a great impression. A hearer, who was an undergraduate at the time, thus speaks of them :

"I can never forget," he says, "his bold and animated sermon before the University on that text from John vii. 17, 'If any man will do His will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God,' and I shall never lose the impression of the breathless silence with which its stirring appeals to the conscience were heard by the crowded congregation at St. Mary's." (p. 136.)

In 1810 he was called to preach and publish two sermons on the death of Mr. Cecil. Other sermons were soon after that time published.

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We have here, introduced into the biography, a pretty full history of the controversy on "Baptismal Regeneration taught by Dr. Mant. There are those living who witnessed, and were participators in that controversy; and it may be confidently affirmed, that the subject is one of the most important which can occupy the minds of theologians; involving, as it does, in its results, the whole theory of the spiritual birth, of conversion to God, and the necessity of faith to the justification of the sinner. Some easy-going divines of the day, indeed, are disposed to treat the whole subject as a mere logomachy-a strife of words. But it is a question of life and death; and the battle of truth was nobly fought at that time by Daniel Wilson among others. Soon after, he deemed it right to avail himself of his first opportunity of preaching on this topic to the University; and the sermon remains as a sort of standard authority on a subject which has so much affected the interests and disturbed the of the church. It is heartily to be wished, that the services of the church, sound as they are in the faith, held less mistakeable language on the subject.

peace

In December, 1818, he felt himself called to publish a pamphlet in defence of the "Church Missionary Society," in consequence of a dispute raised by the archdeacon of Bath; and this pamphlet appears to us to be perhaps the best written and best reasoned specimen of his powers as a writer. Not long after he published a volume of sermons; now too well known to need any notice from us. Our business is, in common with others, to profit from

them.

To other works published at subsequent periods, it is impossible that we can do more than most briefly refer. It is but just, we think, to say, that his writings appear to us to be characterized rather by clearness, by sound logic, and holy vehemence, than by any unusual power of thought, originality, or depth. They are all, more or less, admirable for their special purpose; and that, perhaps, is the highest praise to be given to any writings. We borrow the testimony borne to one of his productions by an authority which some of those disposed to sneer at Mr. Wilson's power as a writer will not feel inclined to dispute. Dr. Cop

leston thus writes to him, after the publication of his preface to "Butler's Analogy:"

"But the connection of this argument with the other branches of Christian evidence, is admirably pointed out and illustrated. I have no doubt also that you are right in thinking that Butler has fallen short of that view of Christianity which is most effectual in subduing the heart of man and training him for heaven. But allowance may surely be made for the nature of his argument, which was principally to refute the infidel, and to bring men as willing disciples to the gospel. The full development and the powerful enforcement of gospel truths is the constant business of our profession. He has not entered so largely into this office as might have been done-and yet, as it seems to me, he has gone as far as his undertaking required him to go. The foundation has been firmly laid. And every one who has advanced thus far, must know, that a great deal remains for him to do before the work can be considered as completed. This work gives ample scope for the abilities and zeal of our fellow-labourers, and I willingly acknowledge that among them you have had a distinguished share. That the due reward of such labours may be your lot in this life, as it certainly will be hereafter, is the sincere prayer of, &c. &c.—“ EDWARD Copleston."

His prefaces to "Baxter's Saints' Rest" and "Quesnel's Commentary" are scarcely less valuable; and, finally, his work on the "Evidences of Christianity," the fruit of eleven years' interrupted but habitual labour, must win for him a place, if not among the most distinguished, yet among the most valuable writers of his times. He may, on the whole, be said to have written less than most men of that which would cost him a pang on a dying bed; and multitudes, we cannot doubt, will find reason, through eternity, to be thankful for his labours.

In the 9th chapter we are conveyed by the author of these volumes to St. John's Chapel, Bedford Row. And the period of his life, while there, must be regarded as of the most prominent and important character. Mr. Wilson was, as we have already had occasion to state again and again, both on our own authority and that of a multitude of others, one of the most distinguished preachers of his day. Preaching was, perhaps, the strong point of this strong man. We should be glad if our readers felt it right to refer to some of the documents inserted in our own work at the time when his death was announced to his mournful countrymen at home. And it is needless for us again to sound the trumpet of eulogy and admiration. His noble voice still rings in our own ears. His earnest eye seems to be still fixed on us. Strong truths conveyed in the strongest language-delivered almost as from an oracle-solemn exhortations, from which the conscience and heart found it next to impossible to escape; all these and other corresponding qualities conspired to raise him to